There are known sample processing systems for processing samples such as blood and urine. In this type of sample processing system, a sample contained in a sample tube is transported to a sample processing apparatus by, for example, a transporting device transporting a sample rack which holds the sample tube.
In sample processing systems which transport sample tubes via sample racks, a tube sorter is used to automatically sort the sample tubes for each type of process into predetermined sample racks prior to the sample processes for processing efficiency relative to the plurality of samples (for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-40034). In the sample sorter disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-40034, the rack is transported to the sample sorting position by the sample tube transporting means. Thereafter, the sample tube is removed from the rack by a robot hand, and the removed sample tube is transferred to the sorting destination.
In the sample sorter disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-40034, although the transport line of the sample racks is behind the sorting destination rack, the transport line is preferably arranged in front of the destination rack with sorted sample tubes and removed from the front side of the apparatus. However, the transport line must be stopped while removing the sorted sample tubes due to obstruction of the sample rack passing through the transport line in this configuration.
There is also a problem such, in the sample sorter disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-40034, the order of transporting racks cannot be substituted.